About

Ordering bulk materials by volume requires accurate cubic yardage. A miscalculation of 10% on a 20yd³ concrete pour wastes roughly $300 - $500 in over-order or forces an emergency short-load delivery at premium rates. This calculator converts length, width, and depth measurements in feet, inches, yards, meters, or centimeters into cubic yards (yd³) and estimates the total weight using published bulk density values. The underlying formula is V = L × W × D, normalized to yards before multiplication. Results assume uniform depth across a rectangular area. Irregular shapes, compaction ratios, and moisture content are not modeled - add 5 - 10% waste factor in practice.

Formulas

The volume of a rectangular prism, converted to cubic yards:

V_yd³ = L_yd × W_yd × D_yd

Each linear dimension is first converted to yards using these factors:

1 ft = 13 yd 1 in = 136 yd 1 m = 1.09361 yd 1 cm = 0.0109361 yd

Weight estimation uses bulk density ρ:

W = V_yd³ × ρ_lb/yd³

Where V = volume in cubic yards, L = length, W = width, D = depth, and ρ = material bulk density. Metric tonnage is derived as W_t = W_lb ÷ 2204.62. US tons use W_ton = W_lb ÷ 2000.

Reference Data

Material	Bulk Density (lb/yd³)	Bulk Density (kg/m³)	Common Use
Concrete (wet/mixed)	3700	2195	Slabs, footings, foundations
Gravel (loose)	2700	1602	Driveways, drainage, base layers
Crushed Stone	2500	1483	Road base, backfill
Sand (dry)	2600	1542	Masonry, sandboxes, bedding
Sand (wet)	3100	1839	Compacted fill, pipe bedding
Topsoil (loose)	2200	1305	Gardens, lawns, raised beds
Compost	1100	653	Soil amendment, mulching
Mulch (wood chips)	800	475	Landscaping, weed suppression
Mulch (bark)	500	297	Decorative beds, paths
Pea Gravel	2700	1602	Walkways, playgrounds
Limestone (crushed)	2600	1542	Road base, pH adjustment
Asphalt (hot mix)	3564	2115	Paving, patching
Riprap (large stone)	2800	1661	Erosion control, retaining walls
Fill Dirt	2400	1424	Grading, leveling
Clay (dry)	2700	1602	Liner material, fill
Perlite	200	119	Soil aeration, insulation
Vermiculite	300	178	Potting mix, insulation
Lava Rock	1500	890	Decorative mulch, drainage
River Rock	2700	1602	Landscaping, dry creek beds
Recycled Concrete	2400	1424	Base material, backfill

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard practice is to add 5 - 10% to the calculated volume. Gravel and crushed stone compact roughly 10 - 15%, so increase accordingly. For concrete, most suppliers round up to the nearest quarter-yard, so a 4.3 yd³ result means ordering 4.5 yd³. Under-ordering concrete mid-pour creates a cold joint, which compromises structural integrity.

Water fills the void spaces between sand particles. Dry sand has a bulk density of approximately 2600 lb/yd³, while saturated sand reaches 3100 lb/yd³. That additional 500 lb/yd³ is nearly pure water weight. This matters for hauling calculations since a standard dump truck with a 10 yd³ bed would carry 5000 lb more when the sand is wet.

This calculator models rectangular volumes. For a triangle, calculate as a rectangle and divide the result by 2. For a circle, compute as a square using the diameter, then multiply by π ÷ 4 (approximately 0.7854). In both cases, enter the bounding dimension as length and width, then manually adjust the output.

A standard 80 lb bag of premixed concrete yields approximately 0.022 yd³ (0.6 ft³). Divide your total cubic yards by 0.022 to get the bag count. For example, 1 yd³ requires roughly 45 bags. Bag mixing is only practical below about 1 yd³. Above that threshold, ready-mix truck delivery is faster and cheaper.

Depth directly influences decomposition rate and soil temperature regulation. The recommended mulch depth is 2 - 4 in (5 - 10 cm). Exceeding 4 in creates anaerobic conditions that produce acetic acid and methanol, toxic to plant roots. Wood chip mulch at 3 in depth typically decomposes 30 - 40% per year and needs annual replenishment.

A typical single-axle dump truck holds 5 - 6 yd³, a tandem axle holds 10 - 14 yd³, and a tri-axle holds 14 - 18 yd³. However, weight limits apply. A tandem axle truck carrying wet sand at 3100 lb/yd³ might only haul 8 yd³ before hitting legal weight limits, despite having 14 yd³ of bed capacity.